Thursday, August 7, 2014

7 Ways to Retain Women in STEM

It is no
secret the wondrous world of STEM (science, technology, engineering and
mathematics) is lacking a strong female workforce.With the situation getting progressively
worse in recent years, there is a necessity to attract more women to STEM
careers.As it currently stands, around
50 percent of the United States workforce consists of women, while only about
26 percent of women work in STEM fields.That leaves 74 percent of all STEM jobs to men, which creates a lasting
impression in women’s minds that STEM is a “man’s world.”

To battle
the existing misconceptions women have about STEM, encouragement and information
about potential opportunities and benefits of a career in STEM must be provided
for girls early on in their educational careers.Along with encouragement, young girls should
have successful female STEM role models to answer any and all questions they
may have.The key to retaining women in
STEM begins with educating them early on about the numerous career
opportunities and how to become a part of those fields.

Here are some
suggestions on how to encourage young girls to consider a career in STEM:

1. Provide absolute positivity
about women in the STEM fields and about the scientific capabilities of women
in general.

2. Purchase toys and games for
girls that encourage problem solving and innovation.

3. Encourage group activities and
competition among girls that are related to the scientific field.

4. Incorporate successful female
STEM role models in the lives and education of young women.

5. If you are a woman working in
one of the STEM fields, share your story.

AND don’t
forget to register for the upcoming Women In STEM Exchange Summit in Boston,
coming October 21st, where you will be able to make one-on-one
connections with potential employees and increase STEM retention rates among
women.